GargantulaInfinitasm (Southern Lorn)By: Mike SOSThis Californian quartet has got an interesting mix of influences showcased on its 11-track disc. First and foremost, Gargantula is scathingly heavy, and will most likely knock your on your ass as soon as the opening riff of "Pulvergeist" rips through your speakers. From there, hailing from California has given the band some dubious influences to emulate, such as the Bay Area thrash metal scene and the intricate and avant-garde attitude spearheaded by bands like Neurosis, and Gargantula doesn't miss a step. This crew bestows equal praise to both, juxtaposing metal thrashing mad riffs with doomy, atmospheric passages like the ones found in "Flytard" and "Sinking Angels" which lapses right into "Infinite Dread". Add in production courtesy of metal guru Billy Anderson, and you've got yourself a beast of epic proportions on your hands, my friends. Twisted enough to hold your attention, crushing enough to make your head explode yet experimental enough to expand your mind, Gargantula is a complex yet savage entity that fans of the aforementioned genres should take heed to.